Battery questions

[Curb71]

I just got my brand new trailer and know very little about the battery. I'm going to install a disconnect on it. I've read about battery chargers, battery tenders, battery minders but I'm not sure what I really need. I plan on having my trailer in a RV storage place which means I don't have the option of plugging some battery charging device into 110v. Should I remove the battery from the trailer and take it home to hook it up to something when the trailer is not in use?

I picked up the brand new TT Tuesday and it sat until Friday when I went down to find out that the battery was apparently dead. I hooked the electrical line to my truck and had power again but I'm sure that didn't charge the battery much at all. Should I just upgrade the single battery the trailer comes with to something better, maybe two? Is that normal for the battery to be completely dead after sitting for half a week?

[cb1000rider]

IF you discharge it too many times (it doesn't take many) then you'll have a fairly useless piece of lead.

Install a true disconnect. Don't forget to use it when storing. If you're not boondocking, the battery really never should go bad. If stored with the disconnect OFF, you should be able to leave it for months w/o worrying about it.

[Curb71]

Originally Posted by cb1000rider

IF you discharge it too many times (it doesn't take many) then you'll have a fairly useless piece of lead.

Install a true disconnect. Don't forget to use it when storing. If you're not boondocking, the battery really never should go bad. If stored with the disconnect OFF, you should be able to leave it for months w/o worrying about it.

I've had the trailer 3 days. Not sure what true disconnect means. I bought this kind.

[twinboat]

What cb1000rider said is true.

Batteries can be stored for months, if charged to 100%, before storage.

The issue you may have is that most dealers leave the batteries dead while in the sales lot and just boost them for customer viewing.

You need to find out how long your trailer and battery sat, before you bought it.

Unless you watched them put a new battery in it, there is a good chance they left it dead.

As far as you storing it, you will need to leave it plugged in for at least 6 hours, maybe more, before disconnecting it. That way you know it's charged.

If you can't do that, the best bet is to take it home and trickle charge it.

[cb1000rider]

By "true" disconnect, I mean one that actually disconnects everything. Most factory disconnects are "mostly" disconnects - meaning they often leave a few things on (like the c02 and smoke detectors). It's likely a liability thing, but you'll still end up with a dead battery.

[Hatchee]

IMO
- you should install a simple marine ON/OFF switch at the battery to ensure the co2 & propane sniffer does not drain it.

- you can fully charge the battery and leave it for 2-3 months but it is better for the battery to take it home and purchase a 3 stage charger to put it on.

- if the battery has been discharged several time, it may be salvageable if put on a 3 stage charger but it probably will never be as good as new. If only discharged 1 or 2 times, it probably has a lot of life left in it.

[fixintodoit]

curb71-- that kind will work fine , that is the same one I use on my truck. be sure to hook it up to the Negative side of the battery.

[nothermark]

FWIW it would be better on the positive side. No bad ground to the battery then.

[TonyDi]

Sportsmansguide.com has several different battery disconnect switches that will do what you want.

Your second option is to install a solar panel to keep your batteries charged. BTW having a couple of batteries is a good idea for times when you might have big drains on the system.

[twinboat]

The style disconnect mentioned in the post by Curb71 is designed to fit the smaller negative post of a battery.

Using it on the positive post would require spreading the terminal out of round and possibly a longer bolt. You would also have an issue with clamping the original positive terminal to the smaller negative post of the switch.

Use it as designed and you shouldn't have any grounding issues.

There will be no difference in where a battery circuit is disconnected, positive or negative. Either one will stop the current flow.

[Hatchee]

Originally Posted by twinboat

The style disconnect mentioned in the post by Curb71 is designed to fit the smaller negative post of a battery.

Using it on the positive post would require spreading the terminal out of round and possibly a longer bolt. You would also have an issue with clamping the original positive terminal to the smaller negative post of the switch.

Use it as designed and you shouldn't have any grounding issues.

There will be no difference in where a battery circuit is disconnected, positive or negative. Either one will stop the current flow.

True, but you want to disconnect the POS so that the system remains grounded at all times....IMO

[HHIDan]

Originally Posted by Hatchee

True, but you want to disconnect the POS so that the system remains grounded at all times....IMO

And what is the advantage of the system remaining grounded?

I always wondered why trailers and motorhomes are shipped with batteries in them. So many sit in dealer's lots unplugged. Batteries should ship separately and be installed on delivery. Should be easy to design the battery tray such that there would be two connection posts such that you could use one of these for showings:

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Hatchee

True, but you want to disconnect the POS so that the system remains grounded at all times....IMO

We all call it "ground" but it is actually just the chassis being used as the negative conducter.

It has no relationship to the earth ground.

[timetogo]

I think your dealer owes you a fresh battery and I think two is better than one. Good luck.